This set provides an excellent overview of sports, with the major focus on the last century. . . . The text does a fine job of giving attention to each sport equal to the attention that sport received during a particular era. The book does a superb job on the role that sports play in American culture, and on the connection between sport and societal topics, e.g., ethnicity, race, media, law, politics, and scandals. . . . This encyclopedia is an exceptional resource for public and academic libraries.

Choice

Bottom Line: Written for general readers, this set could easily fill a niche in middle school and high school libraries, as well as public libraries, particularly where research on sports history is a popular topic. Nelson's work does not replace general sports encyclopedias, but it makes a nice complement to sports information collections. Recommended for middle school, high school, and public libraries; these libraries might also want a copy for their circulating collections.'

Library Journal

Nelson (emeritus, education and American studies, Pennsylvania State U.) and 19 contributors offer a variety of insights and perspectives on the function of sports in American history and how historical events affected sports. The two-volume reference begins with the America's colonial years and continues to the present, from horse racing to stock car racing
and snowboarding. While the book contains a substantial amount of data, it is typically set in context of the society and culture of the period. For that reason, it also reflects the characteristics and nature of American society and its admirable and less than admirable traits. The book has a scholarly style, but is intended for the general reader.

Reference & Research Book News

The editor and contributors offer a clear and useful overview of sports in American culture, aimed at general readers and students from high school through the lower-level undergraduate level. Recommended for public and school libraries.

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